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By Ken Beckett
At Team Canada’s summer orientation camp in Calgary, 46 were players were invited. Two of those players were Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis. Both Lecavalier and St. Louis are of course teammates on the Tampa Bay Lightning and have been so for ten seasons now. They were also teammates at the 2006 Winter Olympics when Team Canada finished a disappointing seventh place.
In the summer when the orientation camp roster was announced, it seemed like Vinny Lecavalier was a solid choice to make Team Canada. Here was a very skilled, veteran, but still young forward with a Stanley Cup ring who has tons of experience in the NHL as well as playing for Team Canada. How could you not add him to the team?
Cut to two months into the season, and if Team Canada’s GM Steve Yzerman announced the roster today and Vincent Lecavalier was left off, yes it would be a surprise. Though not a shocking, end of the world surprise that would have hockey pundits seriously doubting Canada’s chance at winning a gold medal.
Lecavalier just hasn’t played like everybody knows that he can. He hasn’t looked like the same Vincent Lecavalier that had 108 points in the 2006-07 season and won the Rocket Richard trophy for scoring the most goals in the league with 52.
Then again, should anyone be surprised that Lecavalier is struggling? Since that award winning season in 06-07, Lecavalier’s numbers have dropped off year after year. Lecavalier dropped from 108 points to a still impressive 92 points in 2007-08. But last season in 2008-09, was where the wheels really seemed to fall off for the high flying Frenchman.
During last year’s campaign with the Bolts, Lecavalier managed a measly 29 goals and 67 points. And while those may be solid numbers for most players, they are a disappointment when you compare them to the type of numbers that Lecavalier has been able to put up in the past.
While this season is still young, Vinny is off to a very weak start. In 18 games this year, Lecavalier has only netted four goals. His one saving grace is that he has 13 assists to give him 17 points which is almost a respectable point per game rate.
It hasn’t been an awful start, but it certainly hasn’t been a great one for Vincent Lecavalier. You would have to think that he is certainly not overwhelming Steve Yzerman with the type of play that he has put together so far this season. Though at this point, it would be ludicrous to suggest that Lecavalier has completely played his way out of contention to be named to Team Canada.
The same cannot be said for Lecavalier’s teammate, Martin St. Louis. When St. Louis was invited to camp in the summer, many figured that he would have a decent shot at making the team. The impression that most seemed to be under was that if St. Louis wanted to play for Team Canada for a second consecutive Olympics, all he would have to do is simply play the type of game that he has made a career out of.
The start to this season has been anything but impressive for St. Louis however. He has put together only four goals in 18 games and recently had a stretch of 12 games where he didn’t score a goal at all. St. Louis does have 15 points to give him 19 points in total, but considering the type of competition that there is to play on Team Canada, Steve Yzerman and the rest of his management team need to see a remarkable improvement from here on out for St. Louis to improve his chances at making the team.
While on the topic of potential Team Canada players on the Tampa Bay Lightning, it would be a mistake not to discuss Steven Stamkos. It was somewhat of a surprise when Stamkos was snubbed and not invited to Calgary in the summer. Many thought that the 19-year old had a phenomenal rookie campaign in 2008-09 scoring 23 goals and 46 points, and had at least earned an invite. Stamkos’ rookie season was especially impressive considering the rough start that he had to begin the year, as well as his tumultuous relationship with then Lightning bench boss Barry Melrose.
Melrose was not happy with Stamkos’ play, and even went to the media to say that he didn’t think that the number one overall draft pick from last year’s draft was good enough to play in the NHL. Stamkos put his nose to the grindstone however and ended up being able to get his game back on track, putting himself into contention for last season’s rookie of the year honours.
Now this year, Steven Stamkos has been a revelation for the Lightning. Stamkos has 13 goals and 21 points, and night after night he looks to be one of the most talented players on the ice no matter which team he’s playing against.
The only thing going against the addition of Steven Stamkos to Team Canada is the depth at centre position. Just have a look at the names of the possible centre men that were invited to Team Canada’s summer camp. Names that include the likes of Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf, Mike Richards, Joe Thornton, and Jordan Staal, just to name a few. If Stamkos is able to continue the type of play that he has put together so far this season, you would have to think that Steve Yzerman is going to give some extra thought to the possible addition of the second year forward.
And with the amazing, goal of the year candidate that Stamkos scored on Thursday night against the Anaheim Ducks from the seat of his pants, the case for him to join Team Canada is getting stronger with every game. What a great story the addition of Steven Stamkos would be. A guy who grew up playing his junior hockey for the Sarnia Sting, only minutes away from Detroit where his idol Steve Yzerman played, is snubbed initially by his hero, but then earns his attention and a spot on his Olympic team. It doesn’t get much better than that.
At Team Canada’s summer orientation camp in Calgary, 46 were players were invited. Two of those players were Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis. Both Lecavalier and St. Louis are of course teammates on the Tampa Bay Lightning and have been so for ten seasons now. They were also teammates at the 2006 Winter Olympics when Team Canada finished a disappointing seventh place.
In the summer when the orientation camp roster was announced, it seemed like Vinny Lecavalier was a solid choice to make Team Canada. Here was a very skilled, veteran, but still young forward with a Stanley Cup ring who has tons of experience in the NHL as well as playing for Team Canada. How could you not add him to the team?
Cut to two months into the season, and if Team Canada’s GM Steve Yzerman announced the roster today and Vincent Lecavalier was left off, yes it would be a surprise. Though not a shocking, end of the world surprise that would have hockey pundits seriously doubting Canada’s chance at winning a gold medal.
Lecavalier just hasn’t played like everybody knows that he can. He hasn’t looked like the same Vincent Lecavalier that had 108 points in the 2006-07 season and won the Rocket Richard trophy for scoring the most goals in the league with 52.
Then again, should anyone be surprised that Lecavalier is struggling? Since that award winning season in 06-07, Lecavalier’s numbers have dropped off year after year. Lecavalier dropped from 108 points to a still impressive 92 points in 2007-08. But last season in 2008-09, was where the wheels really seemed to fall off for the high flying Frenchman.
During last year’s campaign with the Bolts, Lecavalier managed a measly 29 goals and 67 points. And while those may be solid numbers for most players, they are a disappointment when you compare them to the type of numbers that Lecavalier has been able to put up in the past.
While this season is still young, Vinny is off to a very weak start. In 18 games this year, Lecavalier has only netted four goals. His one saving grace is that he has 13 assists to give him 17 points which is almost a respectable point per game rate.
It hasn’t been an awful start, but it certainly hasn’t been a great one for Vincent Lecavalier. You would have to think that he is certainly not overwhelming Steve Yzerman with the type of play that he has put together so far this season. Though at this point, it would be ludicrous to suggest that Lecavalier has completely played his way out of contention to be named to Team Canada.
The same cannot be said for Lecavalier’s teammate, Martin St. Louis. When St. Louis was invited to camp in the summer, many figured that he would have a decent shot at making the team. The impression that most seemed to be under was that if St. Louis wanted to play for Team Canada for a second consecutive Olympics, all he would have to do is simply play the type of game that he has made a career out of.
The start to this season has been anything but impressive for St. Louis however. He has put together only four goals in 18 games and recently had a stretch of 12 games where he didn’t score a goal at all. St. Louis does have 15 points to give him 19 points in total, but considering the type of competition that there is to play on Team Canada, Steve Yzerman and the rest of his management team need to see a remarkable improvement from here on out for St. Louis to improve his chances at making the team.
While on the topic of potential Team Canada players on the Tampa Bay Lightning, it would be a mistake not to discuss Steven Stamkos. It was somewhat of a surprise when Stamkos was snubbed and not invited to Calgary in the summer. Many thought that the 19-year old had a phenomenal rookie campaign in 2008-09 scoring 23 goals and 46 points, and had at least earned an invite. Stamkos’ rookie season was especially impressive considering the rough start that he had to begin the year, as well as his tumultuous relationship with then Lightning bench boss Barry Melrose.
Melrose was not happy with Stamkos’ play, and even went to the media to say that he didn’t think that the number one overall draft pick from last year’s draft was good enough to play in the NHL. Stamkos put his nose to the grindstone however and ended up being able to get his game back on track, putting himself into contention for last season’s rookie of the year honours.
Now this year, Steven Stamkos has been a revelation for the Lightning. Stamkos has 13 goals and 21 points, and night after night he looks to be one of the most talented players on the ice no matter which team he’s playing against.
The only thing going against the addition of Steven Stamkos to Team Canada is the depth at centre position. Just have a look at the names of the possible centre men that were invited to Team Canada’s summer camp. Names that include the likes of Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf, Mike Richards, Joe Thornton, and Jordan Staal, just to name a few. If Stamkos is able to continue the type of play that he has put together so far this season, you would have to think that Steve Yzerman is going to give some extra thought to the possible addition of the second year forward.
And with the amazing, goal of the year candidate that Stamkos scored on Thursday night against the Anaheim Ducks from the seat of his pants, the case for him to join Team Canada is getting stronger with every game. What a great story the addition of Steven Stamkos would be. A guy who grew up playing his junior hockey for the Sarnia Sting, only minutes away from Detroit where his idol Steve Yzerman played, is snubbed initially by his hero, but then earns his attention and a spot on his Olympic team. It doesn’t get much better than that.
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